Buddy Guy On World Cafe

We recorded this interview with blues guitarist and singer Buddy Guy the day after he turned 77 — and he turned up early for our 9 a.m. start.

Guy is a pioneer of the blues. Originally from Louisiana, he made his mark in the competitive Chicago blues scene of the 1960s. His flamboyant guitar style — using distortion, a 100-foot cord and a wah-wah pedal — influenced many guitar legends to follow, including Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.

Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, Guy published his autobiography, When I Left Home: My Story, last year. His new double album, Rhythm & Blues, came out on his birthday, July 30. During his visit to World Cafe, Guy told us classic stories about Chicago blues and his face-to-face meeting with Hendrix.